Improvement in seal-escutcheons



5.}. saooksg Seal Escutcheons.

NO.164,800 PatentedJu r1e22,1875.

WITNESSES THE GRAPHIC C0.PHOTO L TH-39 1 PARK PLAGYJLY.

PATENT OFFICE.

ED WARD J. BnooKs,

or new YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEAL-ESCUTCHEONS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 164,800, dated June 22, 1875; application filed May 15, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. BROOKS, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Seal-Escutcheons, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to means for sealing locks and other fastenings, so as to insure the detection of any surreptitious or unauthorized opening of the doors, lids, or drawers, to

which they are applied.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cash-box, having a seal-escutcheon with seal therein, illustratin g this invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same, with escutcheon open. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3 3, Fig. 2, showing the escutcheon closed. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a tablet of seals designed for use in this escutcheon. Fig. 5 is a face view of one of the seals detached.

My improved seal-escutcheon E is composed of a main portion or escutcheon proper, 1, and a cap-plate or seal-cover, 2. The former 1 is permanently attached by flush headed bolts or screws to over the key-hole or other openin g, or the screw or other fastening which is to be protected, having a corresponding orifice, b, which may be of proper shape, and sufficient size to suit a considerable range of key-holes or fastenings. The seal co'ver2 is attached to. the main part 1 by a hinge-joint, c, at one edge, and when closed or shut it is secured by a staple or latch, (Z, and spring bolt or catch 6, interlocking with each other automatically. The main part 1 of the escutcheon is hollow, and within its cavity, shown in. Fig. 3, and by dotted lines in Fig. 2, the bolt or catch 0 and its appurtenances are located, this cavity being closed by a back-plate, f, secured in place by a screw or rivet, g. In the preferred construction illustrated in the drawing, the bolt or catch 6 is formed on or attached to a lever-plate i, fulcrumed 011 a pin j and slotted thereat, so as to permit the bolt or catch to be elevated by the beveled point or nose of the staple or 1atch,which, in this case, is a rigid projection on the back of the seal cover. A spring, k, restores the lever-plate to its normal position. Located at what may be termed the opposite extremity of the leverplate 13, is a tearing-pin, Z, which constitutes the only means for retracting the bolt or catch. This projects through a branch of the main orifice b, into the seal exposing orifice, W, in the cover 2. Two or more tearing-pins arranged otherwise may be employed, if preferred. With the escutheon open, as shown in Fig. 2, the locking-key is used and withdrawn, or the screw or other fastening is applied. A seal, S, is then placed over the orifice b, and the cover 2 is closed thereon, causing the seal to be punctured and transfixed by the staple or latch d and pin or pins-Z, or by the latter alone. The seal-cover is retained by the automatic bolt or catch e, and no access can now be had to the key-hole or fastening, or to the attachin g bolts or screws of the escutcheon without first tearing the seal. By using the tearing pin or pins l for this purpose, the seal is offectually and unavoidably destroyed, as is essential, and the bolt or catch e is simultaneously retracted, so as to provide for removing the seal, preliminary to applying the key, thus obviating driving the material of the seal into the lock. The primary object of this device is, however, to provide a simple and secure fastening for the seal-cover, protected by the seal, and yet independent of the lock or fastening, so as to render the escutcheon complete in itself, and to adapt it for application over ordinary key-holes, &c. The most simple and cheap lock or fastening, may, by this means, be rendered perfectly secure against the access of unauthorized persons, without detection. 4

In the illustration, the escutcheon is applied over the key-hole of a metallic cash-box,"

B, and is attached by two screw-bolts passing through drill-holes, and provided with nuts inside the box.

To afford additional protection against the displacement of the seal, and to prevent the premature perforation of the same in applying it, the face of the fixed part 1 of the escutcheon is depressed, and the matching-surface of the cover 2 is provided with a corre sponding projection. This feature is not considered essential, and the details of construction may vary considerably in manufacture without departing from the invention.

The main parts of the escutcheon are preferably brass castings 5 but they may be made of any approved material, and the eseutcheon may be of any preferred external shape.

Seals S, for this escutcheon, are preferably made of ordinary paper, with consecutive numbers m, date-blanks n, and signature-lines 0, or equivalent distinguishing provisions printed on their backs; the word private or an equivalent designation, 1;, on their faces, to appear in the cover-orifice b and lines g g on one or both surfaces, to facilitate arranging them in the escutcheon, as illustrated in Figs. 1, 4:, and 5. And they are preferably put up for use in tablets, as illustrated in Fig. 4, with two or more seals on a sheet, and perforated or indented lines 1" to provide for tearing them apart; but they may be furnished in books or loose sheets,.or in packages of single seals if preferred.

The following is claimed as new in this invention, namely:

'A seal-escutcheon, having a tearing pinor pins attached to an automatic fastening for the seal-cover, whereby the seal will be torn in the act of releasing the seal-cover, substantially as set forth.

EDWARD J. BROOKS. Witnesses:

WILLIAM H. GALE, ALLEN LEE SMIDT. 

